Mental Health system flaws and experiences

Discussion in 'General chat' started by Ev, Aug 18, 2009.

  1. Ev

    Ev Junior Member

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    *SWIM = Someone Who isn't Me
    *written in Australia

    Does the mental health system deserve to be getting the credit, respect and mindblowing budget that it does?

    In my opinion NO... am I right or wrong?

    I have included some events I have witnessed and would like to see some more added to thread to help those deciding whether to use mental health services to be more informed about this decision

    Do people fair better or worse with overseas systems, or are they better off without a system as per the "successes" seen in third world countries that have no psychiatry?

    I feel it has among other problems also been maliciously corrupted by pharmaceutical company interests in dollar profit, just the same as Bayer making poison gas for the Nazis

    While I feel there is a use for these services for those that are prone to violence or are so lost might do something dangerous or erratic to themselves or others, for the most part those with any sort of mind troubles could be better catered to.

    I have come to feel this way having worked with mental health patients and knowing people receiving "treatments".
    I feel quite informed on this topic I understand what its like to feel that willingness for a last resort... life or death, prices to pay to get better.
    SWIM's mental health also has tended towards depression at times of SWIM's life, at one stage SWIM didn't have the mindset to carry on living.
    SWIM arranged enough heroin and other opiate painkillers to maintain usage, addiction and tollerance for 4 months he felt like throwing the chips in the air and just hoping for the best outcome but also prepared to face ruin and the loss of everything.
    Swim found being warmed numbed and comfortable able to get along and able to reflect and change and become a better person that he and the world needed him to be.
    However now swim was hooked on drugs you say... no problem swim went without them felt sick and down for a few days but stayed focused started exercising and eventually moved on, it was not easy and there were relapses but in time greater success occurred each time.

    CONTROVERSIAL MEDICINES AND USAGE GUIDELINES CURRENTLY IN PLACE:

    ANTI PSYCHOTIC / MAJOR TRANQUILIZERS :
    Drug that removes a person emotions and slow the brain right down.
    Useful for some extreme times of life and on those that fail to understand how they should behave, such as the guy I knew who became uncontrollable violent because he was possesed by an evil demon according to him and his wife.
    Even those gaining any peace with these will tell you how that comes at a price in health, creativity and general wellbeing.
    Controversy: Has terrible side effects like brain damage, thyroid damage and diabetes and more, also while cognitively impaired and protected from ones emotions to learn and recover is also compromised.
    Some major studies indicate best outcome is to use for initial crises and then cutdown and hopefully discontinue.

    Our system seems to tow the pharmaceutical company line to advise people to stay on a maintenance dose the rest of their lives, this is also the case with Lithium and other mood stabilizers.

    These drugs can be very expensive. Most boxes of "medicine I have seen are between $50-$400 full cost which our taxes subsidise in payment to the pharmaceutical company.

    OPIATES:
    Not prescribed in Australia for depression, yet highly effective and very cheap, 1 month supply cost less than $40 on the blackmarket would cost approx $2000 hence also why Australia has an addiction and crime problem.

    ANTI DEPRESSANT MEDICATIONS:
    Most commonly used ie Zoloft prozac etc are just like amphetamines except they don't wear off are much more expensive and also have bad side effects maybe worse than amphetamines.
    Also rather than the person addressing the issues they have and changing they may just continue on living the mistakes that made them depressed thanks to the medicine making them feel OK, while they lose their friends and family as a result of not changing their life choices.

    ELECTRO CONVULSIVE THERAPY:

    Brain is zapped while patient is under general enaesthetic to avoid broken bones from resulting seizure.
    Side effects include brain damage and can also include ongoing seizures and damage making tasks involving vehicles machinery or cooking hazardous and requiring treatment on mind dampening medications.

    Seizures involve brain damage which results in brain damage hence why if "epileptics are not medicated eventually they become half wits.

    The "professionals" will give you a wishy washy it resets the brain chemistry answer, while it does get results on occasion so did lobotomy.


    THE MISTAKES I'VE SEEN

    I was visiting someone at D20 the Mental health ward at SCGH while it is great that people have somewhere that houses and feeds them, both the above could be done better. ie food was basically frozen veges mash potato and spam, carpet smelled wet damp.
    Also while the introduction to help organisations and ideas as well as Occupational therapy classes were helpful the staff and brainwashed society mantra about how "essential" the drugs were is the downfall of many people, and is a reversal of how it should be with drugs preferably seen as the last resort and ideally for temporary use.

    When I was working I had a 14 YO patient come in for a blood test from the Bentley psych outpatient clinic his mum wanted the drug level done when I mentioned it wasn't asked for(it wasn't needed) she became hysterical, she'd had her son admitted because apparently he did not respect her as much as he should(she was quite insane IMO), because of what she had said he remained in the system forcibly medicated on anti psychotics all the years I was working.
    Experiencing what he was forced to undergo I do not like his chances of ever getting out of the system, last time I saw him he was starting to crack and almost ready to lash out.
    The story of crazy misguided parents committing their children for no good reason is sadly less isolated than I would hope for.

    Next the 14 YO girl raped and traumatized feeling shook up and then committed to Bentley psych by her misguided parents, was heavily medicated on antipsychotics when I saw her, a drooling sedated mess, how is that getting better? Opiates or even alcohol would have been more therapeutic.

    One person told me of his initial forced involountary admission as a 14 YO because his misguided parents thought it was a good idea!
    Despite not being depressed which is the only diagnostic condition treated with ECT he was given Electro convulsive by mistake and said his mind was mashed for a few days.
    Also had near death experiences on a few occasions when given an anti psychotic noted as an allergy on his medical record, also had another patient try to rape him.

    More... involountary outpatient good guy treated like child asked very personal irrelevant questions that have been asked many times before and forced to make an appointment every week with this new doctor who showed him little respect.
    Crazy bitch prescribed him powerful anti psychotic seroquel tablets 4x stronger than usual turning him into a confused and afraid zombie when he took 1 to sleep at night.
    Patient has a very responsible job she suggested he should also perhaps be forced to take a mind numbing shot of anti psychotics every few weeks which he said would make his work unreliable and possibly dangerous.
    He wants to get on not go on a pension for life.
    __________________
     
  2. milifestyle

    milifestyle New Member

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    Re: Mental Health system flaws and experiences

    My step mother was a paranoid schitzophrenic. She was usually doped up on all sorts of medications - made life somewhat bearable for her... certainly more bearable for those around her.

    I believe in some cases (as above), nental health does need a support from both community and government. However...

    For the majority i can't help but feel many are labelled as having a mental problem simply because they think diferently to the majority. Reality is its the mjority that should probably be wearing the mental problem hat... after all, we are where we are at today as a society based on the decisions made by the majority as early as yesterday and as far back as time began.

    I reckon the majority has got more wrong than right...
     
  3. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    Re: Mental Health system flaws and experiences

    Mental health care has been going to the dogs in Australia for years.
    I was a psychiatric nurse in the late 60's. The system was better resourced then.

    Yes drugs, both legal and illegal are a problem.
    I despair of the whole system.

    At least we don't jail ALL our drug addicts as in the USA.
     

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